People Oakwood 1000BC 400AD Late Bronze Age or Romano-British agricultural enclosure and field system in Gipton Wood 1068 Leeds and surrounding areas described as Agricultural 1086 Leeds population (excludes Roundhay) is around 200 1300 Leeds Population 1000 1379 Leeds population not exceeding 300 persons 1512 Henry VIII granted Roundhay Park to Thomas, Lord Darcy, of Temple Newsam 1645 Black Death killed 1,300 people in Leeds. Cabins for infected were built on Quarry Hill 1676 Sir John Saville became owner of Roundhay Park 1742 26 th May Methodism took root in Leeds John Wesley preached at noon on Birstall Hill to several hundred people 1745 5 th November John Wesley visited Leeds 1746 22 nd February John Wesley preached at 5.00pm in Leeds and was attacked on way to lodgings 1748 500+ Methodists recorded at Leeds
1750 Wesleyan Methodists obtained a lease of land and house for 99 years to build first Chapel at Leeds 1750-1 First Methodist Conference was held at Old Boggard House in Leeds 1764 Thomas Nicholson was born at Chapel Allerton. (He built the Mansion in Roundhay Park)
1770 19 th April John Wesley preached at the new Chapel in Woodhouse Street Leeds 1776 Leeds population 17,117 1779 Stephen Nicholson born (Half brother to Thomas Nicholson) Stephen later inherited from Thomas 1789 26 th August 27 th September John Burton born John Burton Baptised at Bramley Chapel John was later part owner with brother Joshua of the land on which the first Roundhay Methodist Chapel was built in Chapel Lane (now North Lane) 1791 25 th November Joshua Burton was Baptised at Bramley Chapel 1794 1000+ Methodists recorded at Leeds 1798 A large number of Methodist ministers were named in The Leeds Directory 1801 Roundhay population 84 1803 Thomas Nicholson and Samuel Elam purchased Roundhay Park William Nicholson Nicholson was born to Stephen Nicholson s married sister Mary Philips. (William later changed his surname and inherited his uncle Stephen s estate) 1810 Samuel Elam died 1811 Roundhay population 130 At the auction of Samuel Elam s land Roundhay Park and Manor were united in the hands of Thomas Nicholson
By 1815 The 1 st Methodist Chapel had been built on land in Chapel Lane acquired by brothers Joshua and John Burton at the 1811 auction of Samuel Elam s land 1821 14 th January Thomas Nicholson died leaving his estate to his half brother Stephen Nicholson Roundhay population 186 1822 Roundhay Hall (now the Spire hospital) built on North Lane for William Smith a strong Methodist 1824 12 th April 22 nd September King George IV signed the Act of parliament allowing the building of Roundhay, St. John Church on Wetherby Road, Roundhay. Permission was given to build a vicarage First stone for Roundhay St John Church was laid by William Hiley Bathurst, rector of Barwick in Elmet. Roundhay St John s was endowed by Stephen Nicholson
1827 1 st March 2 nd October Joshua Burton married Elizabeth Underwood at Leeds Parish Church William Nicholson Nicholson married Martha Rhodes at Roundhay St. John 1831 Roundhay population 314. Life expectancy in Leeds: Gentry 44, Tradesmen 27, Workmen 19 1832 Cholera kills 700 in Leeds 1833 20 th October Stephen Nicholson received 100 from prominent local Methodists Francis Marris (1/3) and John and Joshua Burton (2/3) for shares in a small burial vault under Roundhay St John 1834 The 2 nd Methodist Chapel was built on land just off Chapel Lane (now North Lane) where Mayo House later stood and where Mayo Close now stands 1838 15 th May 22 nd December Francis Marris, who lived at North Hill on North Lane, died. During his life and in his will he gave large donations to Methodism Joshua Burton and his family donated 200 guineas at the Wesleyan Centenary meeting in Brunswick Chapel, Leeds 1839 Rev Thomas Davis, ancestor of Katherine Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge) became the first resident Vicar of Roundhay St John 1845 1865 approx Reverend James Armitage Rhodes occupies Wood End, now Sabourn Court off Oakwood Lane 1849 5 th June Elizabeth daughter of John Burton died aged 21 and was interred at Roundhay St. John Cholera kills 1,674 people in Leeds
1851 Leeds population 101,000 1857 1 st December Elizabeth wife of John Burton of Roundhay Grove died and was interred Roundhay St. John s Church 1858 Stephen Nicholson died without issue and was interred at Roundhay St. John. His estate was left to his sister Mary Phillips son William Nicholson Nicholson (b. Phillips) 1860-1 James Kitson b. 1807 became Mayor of Leeds 1865 Elmete Hall built (later occupied by James Kitson) 1867 31 st January Joshua Burton died and was interred at Roundhay St. John 1868 19 th November William Nicholson Nicholson (b. Phillips) died. He and Martha had at least thirteen children 1869 23 rd August Elizabeth wife of Joshua Burton died aged 69 and was interred at Roundhay St. John 1871 Following disputes between Martha wife of William Nicholson Nicholson and some of William s heirs and executors, Roundhay Park put up for sale 26 th August Martha Nicholson died and was interred at Roundhay St. John 1872 Roundhay Park in the prosperous township of Roundhay was finally purchased by neighbouring Leeds thanks to Liberal MP John Barran s risky and controversial initiative, an Act of Parliament and people power
19 th September 1872-1874 Lady Wood Road and Springwood Road were built (In his prizewinning 1873 plan to develop 36,000 of recreational amenities for Roundhay Park, architect George Corson proposed that Ladywood and Springwood should be among the first parcels of land to be sold off and developed to fund these developments.)
1874 The 3 rd Roundhay Methodist Church building opened on Ladywood Road. It was affectionately known as Ladywood, cost 3756.3s.2d and could seat 350 people 1878 Edwin Airey (later Sir Edwin Airey) born 1880-1 Roman lamp found in Roundhay Gorge Roman Altar found in the field fronting Elmete Hall 1884 1 st July Foundation stone for a Sunday School was laid at Roundhay Methodist Church Ladywood and the school was opened in December at a cost of 726 1885 Robert Blackburn (founder of Blackburn Aircraft and Motor Company) was born in Kirkstall, Leeds 1887 Revd Thomas Davis died at The Friends Retreat, Heslington, York 1888 14 th October At Oakwood Grange House (now demolished) Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince made the world s first ever motion picture using (paper) film. It was called Roundhay Garden Scene 1890 16 th September Louis Le Prince vanished in France having boarded the train at Dijon for Paris 1896-7 James Kitson b. 1836 became Lord Mayor of Leeds 1901 Leeds population 178,000 1912 Roundhay Township became incorporated within the City of Leeds
1914 6 th January Richard Noel Middleton and Olive Christina Lupton ancestors of Kate Middleton marry at Mill Hill Chapel, Park Row, Leeds 28 th July 31 st October World War I started Robert Blackburn marries Tyrphena Jessica Thompson. During the reception he received a telegraphed order from Winston Churchill to build war planes 1915-16 Sir Charles Lupton (Great, Great, Grand Uncle of Kate Middleton) became Lord Mayor of Leeds 1917 12 th May Debonair but experienced test pilot Rowland Ding was killed in a crash at Oakwood during a demonstration flight 1918 11 th November World War I Armistice 1923-24 Sir Edwin Airey became Lord Mayor of Leeds
1926 William Herbert Scott wrote a booklet Centenary of St. John s Church 1826-1926 1936 Robert and Jessica Blackburn s marriage was dissolved 1939 1 st September World War II started 1939-1945 Bombings killed 77 people in Leeds 1945 Sir Edwin and Lady Airey they gave two stained glass windows in memory of their daughter Mrs Dawson to Roundhay Methodist Church Ladywood Two other stained glass windows were given in the memory of Frederick Cowling by his family 2 nd September World War II ended 1948 5 th July National Health Service founded 1950 Mrs Penrose May (daughter of William Penrose Green) donated 2,200sq yards of land adjacent to Roundhay Methodist Church Ladywood to build a hut for youth work. This is the site on which the 4 th Roundhay Methodist Church was later built. 1952 4 th September Oakwood tram crash, 15 people injured 1953 The Coronation Room was built above the Sunday School Roundhay Methodist Church Ladywood thanks to the generosity of Sir Edwin Airey 1955 Hammond Organ donated from Oakwood Grange to Roundhay Methodist Church Ladywood 10 th September Robert Blackburn died at Bowcliffe Hall, Boston Spa
1959 7 th November A large hall (82ft x 28ft) for youth work was opened having been built for 3,180 on the land donated by Mrs Penrose May. (This was developed to form the present Oakwood Church Hall) 1965 Gordon Cooper Wood became Vicar of Roundhay St. John
2006 The congregation of Roundhay St. John to share the Roundhay Methodist Church building on Springwood Road. The last service was held at Roundhay St. John in November. 8 th September Robbie Williams concert in Roundhay Park 2011 29 th April Prince William and Kate Middleton marry 2013 22 nd July 14 th November Prince George Alexander Louis born (son of William and Kate. Third in line of succession to the throne) Roundhay Methodist Church and Roundhay St. John signed a Covenant joining the two churches in an Ecumenical Partnership www.oakwoodchurch.info the website for Oakwood Church was launched 1 st December 5 th December Roundhay Methodist was renamed at a 10.15 am Celebration Service marking the beginning of Oakwood Church Nelson Mandela died and was later buried at Qunu, Eastern Cape, South Africa